Horsefeathers!

This just makes me so angry. I fully believe people should have to endure what they inflict upon others. :x

Wow, Byrd, that sucks. I know you are obviously (and understandably) distressed right now, but take a minute to calm down a little and then think about it. Don't even consider options right this minute. What was going on when Kenzie bit your hand? Had you been playing prior? Feeding? Some things to consider. Sometimes physical problems can manifest themselves in the form of aggression. I have a seriously dog aggressive dog who was also becoming somewhat people "unfriendly" (not quite blatantly aggressive, but wouldn't trust her), but we found some physical problems that seemed to at least make her aggression worse, poor eyesight being one of them. She is on medication to chill her out and there is the constant monitoring around our other dogs. She could easily kill one if she took the notion. At this point, I would never ever leave Kenzie alone with the other dog, even outside to play, unless one of you are present. We have to monitor our dog that closely with the others, but it becomes second nature. Anyway, I agree with Mei Mei. Time to talk to a vet and rule out any physical problems and on to a behaviorist. Since you don't have a child yet, don't give up on her just yet unless you do feel truly threatened by her. This is just such a difficult thing to have to go through. Just food for thought. I hate this for you. Good luck.

You wanna know what really sucks? These people are all typing faster than I can keep up reading! I hope there's not going to be a test later. [img]http://www.gbronline.com/theidner/images/crybaby.gif[/img]

Grrrr... it doesn't show up. Oh well, just click here. [url]http://www.geocities.com/socialpoo/peter.html[/url]

I am seriously laughing at all the closet Poodle fans here! This is too cool! I really never used to think I like the frilly foo foo clips, but the more I learned that the continental trim actually had a function in the original working dogs, the more I really like it. Of course, it's a seriously exaggerated trim now, but this is what I am going to eventually go for with Perry. I did try growing this in once on my Toy Poodle, but her coat is just too cottony and it was a huge failure... all that neck hair just mats too quickly on her. Perry has that crisp coat, so it should work. Laugh if you will.... my husband is! He said it looked like someone shoved two sticks up this dog's butt and he's about to tip over forward. :o [img]http://www.geocities.com/socialpoo/peter.jpg[/img]

[quote name='Hobbit']:oops: :oops: I didn't want her to decapitate me. ..... [size=2]hiding behind the couch[/size]...[/quote] Now here.... you all make like I'm some thug. If I've told you once, I've told you a gazillion times that I only decapitate UNANNOUNCED visitors and this original poster obviously announced their intentions to visit. [size=2]Off to look at some of those new defeetitator blades now... thanks for the idea, Hobbit![/size] :D [size=3]Defeetitator?[/size] :-?

[quote name='gigishiba']Just thinking about this.... How much does it cost to de-bark a dog? If someone is in a financial situation where their dog barks, they can't afford good, formal training, they can't afford to move out of their home, and can't afford the de-barking surgery, then what? Sure, maybe they shouldn't have a dog if they can't afford it but maybe they COULD afford it when they got it.[/quote] Actually, debarking is very cheap compared to the cost of buying a new house in a decent neighborhood and my thing with the training wasn't the cost of it, but rather the time it would take to do it vs. being thrown out (of, say, a homeless shelter where dogs aren't allowed... been there, done that and pulled it off) for having a dog. Once again, I am talking critical situations here where you have to do something NOW. At that point, it really doesn't matter if that person should have ever had that dog or not. There it is. I still don't know anything about the breeders thing. That's the first I'd heard of that. Just a side note here... I don't know if anyone else here has ever been suddenly homeless before, but it can sure change your sense of priorities. While not a thief by nature, I was not above walking into the store and eating a Reese's cup right there. Point being sometimes ya gotta do whatcha gotta do. When you're young, homeless, look like h*ll with no shower and unable to even be able to brush your teeth regularly, jobs aren't as easy to come by as it would seem unless you're REALLY willing to lower yourself ("Hey, baby, I can help you out... just let me take a few pictures and...." been in that situation, too, and at least never sank THAT low). Maybe it has nothing to do with what we're talking about, but sometimes I get a little defensive when people (in the general sense... not aimed at anyone here) who have never been in certain circumstances seem automatically assess blame with the victim. While I agree that many people put themselves in situations that go wrong, it's also wrong to assume that it's always their fault. If anyone EVER wants to know why I was homeless, pm me and I'll tell you and you can decide if it was my fault and if I should have had to dump my dog at the pound because *I* was irresponsible. Sorry to so far out into left field with this, but it really does in a round about sort of way have to do with responsible pet ownership in the sense that sometimes sh*t just happens. As weird as it might sound coming from me, I try to practice tolerance. If I've never been put in someone's shoes, I try to refrain from passing judgement. Even when the whole Ebby thing was going on and she wanted to dump her dog because she claimed he barked so much, I had the thought then that as a last ditch effort if she absolutely could NOT resolve it any other way, I would be for debarking before getting rid of the dog as a LAST DITCH effort. There are so many dogs in shelters awaiting their executions that I just think that in dire circumstances it would be the lesser of the evils. It turned out that (I believe) she just wanted to dump him because she had the newer dog, so I really didn't suggest it. That and the fact that I know where it would have led. Sorry for the rant. Peace.

Alicat!! I'm sooooooo glad to run into another Standard Poodle fan. Holy balls, sometimes I feel like such a misfit around here ([size=1]you guys is a'ight n' stuff, but you know... none of ya's is Poodle fans[/size]). I have eight dogs total, but have only recently evolved into a Standard Poodle person. I had been waiting for about a year to find the perfect one to adopt and I just got him about 4 months ago from a Poodle rescue group. I adore all of my dogs and wouldn't take anything in the world for them, but I have to say that as far as breeds go, THIS IS IT!! I will always always always try to have a Standard from now on. If I'd only known how much fun they were... fun, intelligent and that bounce is amazing. I love to watch him move! I have a Toy, too, and she's pretty cool. She kind of has that Standard temperament, so she's a'ight. By the way, my Perry is white, too! I'm so sorry to hear about the loss of your Standard. That has to be tough. I'm just so glad I'm not such a loner, anymore. :oops:

Gooeydog, yeah those loud frickin' noises. We had to endure them slinging metal pots and pans down onto a ceramic tile floor to get the dogs used to it. Good grief, I wish they'd just fire off shots. That was the worst part to me. :-?

Duh... silly me. I forgot one major point I was going to make. I have taken a couple of my other dogs along on many nursing home visits. They have had no formal training other than the basic obedience I've given them and they were welcomed with open arms into these nursing homes. As long as they are well mannered and clean, I've found that most of the nursing homes around here welcome them. However, our hospital does not let dogs in, certified or not (service dogs being the exception). If you do it on your own, just be aware that if anything goes wrong, it will be YOUR responsibility and I read somewhere that nursing home lawsuits are a major thing these days. One very important thing is to make sure your dog's nails are filed or ground smooth. The skin on some of these folks is extremely fragile and they have that geeky thin blood and all it would take is a dog pawing to "shake" (a big no no) and you could have big problems. Make sure your dog is not a "shaker" and keeps all four on the floor at all times.

I took my Lab through Delta Society's program. He went through the training and had to pass a test which is basically the same as the CGC test. Unfortunately, I had to "retire" him shortly after he finished his training because of his hip problems (though he could probably start back up again now except I've just been lazy errr busy). Anyway, from my perspective, if I had it to do over again, I would go with CGC. For the money I dumped into Delta Society, I really felt let down. I don't think it's the organization as a whole (then again...), but rather our local chapter of it. I wasn't happy with the training (I felt the trainer was far too heavy handed with my dog), so I trained him primarily at home, but still had to pay out the fees for the training and testing. One plus with Delta Society is that once you join up and get the certification, they offer you insurance to go on visits. Basically (if I understand it right), if little Granny Goofunkle trips over your dog (or her grandkids, interested in a frivolous lawsuit think so) and decides to sue, Delta Society's insurance covers it. At least, that's the way it was explained to me. Anyway, I wish I had just checked into AKC's Canine Good Citizenship thing. Just find out what is required for the test, work on that (you can do it at home, or find a trainer if you're more comfortable) and then have a CGC certified tester give the test. I think it's much more practical and seems to be more widely recognized. It's pretty much just basic obedience. I think Delta Society has a few more requirements. I remember we had to put our dogs on elevators and see how they acted, fake really loud stomping screaming arguments around them to see how they reacted, make LOUD noises, there was a "meet and greet" where two handlers with dogs would stop and interact and the dogs were absolutely not allowed to acknowledge each other, plus the "busy crowd" scene where several people bustle all around the dogs, bumping into them and nudging them around. All this is in addition to the basic obedience. I don't know that CGC requires all this. Anyway, there are pros and cons to either and I'm sure plenty of other organizations that I'm not familiar with, but when I take my Standard Poodle through this time, I'm going to go with CGC.

I can still see the passion in this subject and I know this is the unpopular view, but I can't honestly say "never" unless I say I've NEVER been in a position to consider it yet. I dunno. Maybe it's just me, but I can think of several situations where there may not be time to train away barking behavior. Not as in, "I'm too busy; I don't have time." More like someone having to either get rid of the dog or fix the situation NOW. I guess maybe I can see the other side a little more clearly because I've kinda sorta been there. When I was (way way) younger, I was kicked out of my house and, long story short, ended up homeless for quite a while. Very young, no car, no job and one little mutt of a dog that stayed by my side the whole time. I had no idea as a teen that I would eventually end up homeless, but I did do what I could to keep my dog. I ended up slumming here and there, always keeping my dog. Granted, I probably shouldn't have had a dog at that time, but there she was. There were a couple of places I lived that absolutely did not allow dogs, so I had to be sneaky. Fortunately, my little dog wasn't a barker, but I have to honestly say that had she been, I may have considered it. There would have been no time to work on training that behavior away. One single bark and we would have been busted. That's what I mean when I say I would do it if it meant not losing my dog. Anyway, I guess I'm just saying that, whether it makes me unpopular or not, I can honestly see both points of view here. While I still think that training and responsible ownership are essential, to me there will always be exceptions to every rule. I just can't say "always" and "never." Every time I've ever done it, I end up put in just the position I'm trying to avoid. I guess that makes me paranoid, but it's worked so far. Again, I really would hate to see debarking become as accepted as declawing cats. I think in the general sense it IS a cop out. However, I try to consider the exceptions. The fact is that many people DO get put into positions beyond their control. As far as the breeder thing, that's the first I've heard of that and don't know enough about it to form an opinion one way or the other. I'm just referring to abrupt changes in lifestyles necessitating sometimes drastic measures. Sorry :(

Ruh roh. I have to don my official Devil's Advocate cap here. I really can see where Poofy is coming from. I do not necessarily agree with debarking for the sake of convenience, BUT I can see where it may have its place. Don't get me wrong; I'm all for training and correction being the ideal choice, but I have to admit that, regardless of the circumstances, I would rather see a dog debarked than euthanized in a shelter for that behavior. Please understand that my first option would be for every single pet owner to be responsible, but sometimes you have to settle for the lesser of two evils. Too many dogs die in shelters each year and, many are there for barking, and as bad as I hate to say this, I would rather see these dogs debarked than killed. I also have a problem with thinking that people should ALWAYS, NO MATTER WHAT be able to move into a dog friendly place. While I think that is a noble goal, I can think of several circumstances that might necessitate a quick move into the first thing available and lugging the dog with them. I dunno... I just have a problem with ALWAYS and NEVER, I guess. I can see where someone might have to bail out of somewhere in a hurry (battered wife maybe), taking the dog with them. They might have to take the first place available to them with no regard to whether it is a pet friendly place. If it means being able to keep their dog vs being forced into relinquishing him in order to keep them both from being homeless, well, it's just something I would rather see happen than another dog at the shelter. Keep in mind my debate is with ALWAYS and NEVER. I still am not saying I advocate debarking just for the sake of convenience. Just that sometimes doo doo happens. It would be great if EVERYONE were able (or willing) to train away undesirable behaviors, or if EVERYONE fully researched their breed of choice before acquiring one, but we all know what happens way too often. If it meant keeping the dog out of the shelter, well.... Don't think for one minute that I don't get angry, too, at irresponsible decisions. Just to step a little closer to the line of fire, I also LOATHE shock collars and IF it ever came down to it that I were [u]forced[/u] to choose, I would choose the debarking as the lesser of the two evils. Very genuine disclaimer... I've never had any of my dogs debarked or even been put into a position to consider it.

[quote name='gigishiba'][u][b][color=red]HORSEFEATHERS!!!!!!!!!!!!![/color][/b][/u] [color=blue][size=7]I NEED A DISCLAIMER!!!!!!!!!!!!!![/size][/color] [size=2]PLEASE?[/size][/quote] Let me, uh, constipate on it a while and I'll get back to you... [img]http://groups.msn.com/_Secure/0bADeAnIiq3XnivysMcyTuR3r8WPJGT2D3aFSS54xpZzkpvzocCpRI8mubOODJQ6YzqzPpMVGwtnSqXpVifyDd3GnjToKtr13ZjKcvTLznnumfm4TXc8*8ln!LNp969HI14JWCmR7af*MX45DF0kSpnn!exyYKpDE/digging-in-ear-man.gif?dc=4675404330500855977[/img]

[quote name='corgilady'][size=6][color=indigo]Yooohooooooo Horsefeathers!!![/color][/size] [color=blue]Every time you post pics of your pets, what I notice is how CLEAN the house is!!!!! HOW DO YOU DO IT??????? I [b]must [/b]know!![/color][/quote] [img]http://groups.msn.com/_Secure/0YgDXAskfbVbYgl35Oidq!IdjBvlEADp!a0a7FM6XFsObxumks5fHahApbkP5Er1n6PM*zyic4YmK0jNDiKtiwOFS3kUOg1qRFO*NyE5mMZ6rrEwBG!z!gCS1q6p*VdP4ljLHZjxoZkQqg71Gf86iIA/dog-laughing.gif?dc=4675403504549084446[/img]

Sorry to hear about your kitty, Yellow. :(

It was reported to eBay, but the auction wasn't cancelled until "someone" emailed the seller and told them of eBay's policy regarding the selling of live animals. The seller didn't know and pulled the auction, themselves.

Some people... Check out this auction on eBay. Some knobhead decided to auction off their dog because, as they said, "My old lab has been worried sick ever since this dog came to live with us. As much as I would like to keep this dog, the lab has my loyalty." Uh huh. The bidding is closed on this auction, but it is still up. At least it is as of this posting. [url]http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=29419&item=753083247&rd=1[/url]

Is this one of those trick questions? You know, kind of like where people ask, "Is it wetter under water when it rains?" or "If a man speaks in the forest and no woman is around to hear him, is he still wrong?"

More peaceful coexistence... [img]http://groups.msn.com/_Secure/0aQDoBMUhESc2VboZUdcoRnShYHSjAAco5ryhPLTaFXl7miyLgB*SZyxLBB42KbhDRJmtPEPk6IPg!1vd3urX8*!95uOtf0hoQcwRBkrrvBPUC*caSZd8pj4M0Io2SbSE6I!gtm7lCJ3UnUfKHi*hY*mIXqJ2ztCi/Tomcat-and-Goober.jpg?dc=4675379145121678991[/img]

If you're worried about a cat shedding, then forget about a bunny. Geez, every bunny I've had doesn't shed; they SPRAY hair, I swear. Also, about ferrets, if you don't like the way a cat box smells, forget ferrets unless you're planning on bathing them very frequently and scooping out the crap box twice a day. Ferrets poop and pee a LOT and it is holy moly strong. Plus they tend to have problems with ummm body odor unless washed frequently. Fortunately, every ferret I've had has loved to play in bath water, but that isn't the point... I'm not much of a cat person, either, yet I have 5 of the buggers. They are actually pretty cool. No one roams the counters or tabletops (I refuse to have something that scratches around in a crap box climbing my counters). They are much more easily trained than a lot of people expect. We do have a cat room that we put linoleum in (cats vomit a LOT unless you give them kitty laxatives). We can shut them in there when we don't allow them to roam at large (which is when we aren't home because I don't trust them off the counters THAT much). When the door is open and they are allowed to roam the house, there is a child safety gate blocking the entrance. The cats can jump over it to get in and out, but the dogs can't get in (which keeps them from snacking on Homemade Kitty Gritty

If I remember correctly (I'm sure someone will be along to set me straight if I'm wrong), bitches who undergo these chemical changes resulting in false pregnancies are at a much greater risk of pyometra. What this would ultimately mean is that the bitch would end up having to have an emergency spay (if she survives) resulting in emergency fees, likely after hour fees and additional fees. Basically, that spay that would then be a life or death emergency surgery will be much more expensive (not to mention the imminent threat to the dog's life) than having the spay done now in a routine manner. In other words, it is possible that this dog will ultimately HAVE to be spayed, but to wait could be much more costly, not to mention what the poor dog is going through now. Please have your mom take this into consideration.

[size=2]Sssssssshhhhhhhhh, K's sleeping, everyone; let's be really quiet.[/size] [size=7]HEY, K, I SHUT THEM ALL UP FOR YOU. GO AHEAD AND GET YOUR SLEEP, OK?!?![/size] :P [img]http://groups.msn.com/_Secure/0aADoBL4hHyKqoc306Desn*7fZgpwTOufB6zA35cECOZjGwbb0Qk1Au41*0FyUdo2SOynrmM1tJkNci!sR5wWMVmTDb2LdZdbACXeC6*u7xkz8EL3G9qRA3CBRvA3jor*IxCOXc5BD1CQ7!e3cA24I2xsYS80LjAg/drunk-passed-out.gif?dc=4675403379485872443[/img]

Lol, you ARE a member of [u]my[/u] site. You leave messages there from time to time if you haven't heard from me in a while. You're not a member of the site that that welcome page is going to (P & A). Make sense? I'm one of the managers of Pets & Animals and was just buggering up the Happy New Year welcome page on MY personal little site before I copied and pasted it onto the P & A site. Of course, you (or anyone) would be welcome to join P & A. I've just never promoted it here, but it's not a secret society or anything. :lol:

Bummer... background didn't load. Just my luck. Oh well, I will just put it up the way it is. Thanks oodles! :D